Gambit
by Mirloc
Summary: Rated for Languae and situations. Please Read and Review.
1. Prelude

**_Prelude_**

            The funeral service was amazing. The number of people who attended shocked even the most jaded witch and wizard, few of whom were not in attendance. What really shocked people though was the fact that many of them truly felt for the young man lying in the coffin. 

            It wasn't that he had been their last hope against the evil that even now surged afresh in the world, rather that they honestly began to understand as person after person took the stand and made their eulogy what it was to have been Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.

            _It was easy_, the wizard had thought as he slipped into the Great Hall in Hogwarts. _Far too easy to take the hair from the muggle barber shop. _The potion had been carefully brewed in the utmost secret weeks before, and nowhere he stood a man in his middle thirties who looked shocked as so many took the stand to talk about their experience in the last seven years with Harry Potter. Yet there was one woman who didn't speak, and that saddened him greatly, and he knew why. 

            Month before he had rationalized with himself that he had to keep her safe because of who she was, but the truth had to be known to him, and it had reared it's head sharply on Valentine's Day. 

            She had received a card that disturbed him, a secret admirer had written to her and had made plans with her. She had gone to Hogsmead with this boy, and kissed him. Weeks later they broke up and he found out why. 

He really hadn't meant to listen in on her private conversation with Hermione, but then again it's hard to rationalize that fact when he had snuck out of the dorm at midnight under his invisibility cloak and taken secret passages shown only to him and scant few others to reach the girls dorms undetected. 

In the end it was really all the same, he now knew, and he knew he could not act on this until she was safe. And that lead him to here, and a plan that was almost insane in its brilliance.

Harry Potter continued to watch as his funeral drug out, his eyes barely ever leaving the sobbing form of Ginny Weasley, the woman who held the key to his heart. Occasionally, he'd take a sip of the potion from the hip flask, and the witch beside him gave him a knowing, sad look, and patted his hand. 

He almost laughed at this. Instead he gave her a knowing sad smile in return, and stood up to leave as Snape took the stand.

"I have been asked" the cool voice said "to say a few parting words about Mr. Potter." Harry paused and turned to look at the older man on the podium, whose dark eyes seemed to find his and lock on to his. "To be honest, words fail me at this time. Mr. Potter was an outstanding student, whose merits have already been discussed in great detail already. Suffice to say that the world is a lesser place without Mr. Potter, and that with his passing we must look elsewhere for the shining example of hope he gave to us all."

Harry was riveted, _who in the hell is this and what did they do with Snape?_ He thought.

"My hope remains that we will find out in several months time that this is an elaborate charade of Mr. Potter's and that he'll walk back into the school and the wizarding world explaining that it was one last prank to be played, this time to trick He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named into coming out into the open." Snape stood there, eyes locked with Harry's. He then looked down at the podium and Harry caught a sound he had never heard before, a soft sob escaped from Snape. "And I dearly hope this is the case."

Harry placed his hand on the doorknob and left.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1_**

For the first time in six months Ginny didn't cry herself to sleep. Harry was, however very much on her mind as she finally dropped off into the first restful sleep she had had in months, a small secretive smile on her lips.

The events leading up to this peaceful slumber would have shocked all save one wizard in the world. That wizard being the very same Harry Potter Ginny had been crying over. Tonight, however, instead of appearing in her dreams, he had appeared in her bedroom. 

To fully understand the ramifications of this event, we need to go back five months to the reading of Harry Potter's will. 

_Five Months Earlier (One Month After Burial)_

            Owls left the offices of one Jeremy Pritchett, Esq. bearing a summons to a relatively small number of people for an estate as large as Mr. Potters, yet he had interviewed the young man a mere four months earlier, and had written his words out exactly as requested. The aging wizard watched the owls fly away, sad really, one so young and noble. He sighed and began the preparations for the reading of Mr. Potter's will.

            The next morning they began to arrive. The Weasleys were in attendance in force, along with a smattering of recently graduated students from Hogwarts. Pritchett stood before them and broke open the seal on the envelope Harry had made that afternoon four months prior.

            "I'll now read the words Mr. Potter asked to be read upon his demise."

            Sobs came from several in attendance. 

Suddenly the parchment fluttered, and Harry's own voice uttered forth. "I, Harry James Potter being of sound mind and body, do hereby declare these to be my last Will and Testament."

            "I am sure many of you are saddened by my passing, but don't be. Hopefully my death has been preceded by the death of Voldemort, in which case all is not lost, nor has my death been in vain. To each of you gathered here know you carry a special place in my heart, and know I'll never forget a single one of you. 

            "I was hoping to have some witty phrase like, live your life to it's fullest or I'll haunt you or something, but Mr. Pritchett assures me that's in poor taste. So instead I'll simply say this: 'Remember me, but do not spend your days mourning me. I was most alive with you, after discovering I was a wizard, and attending Hogwarts.' 

            "You are my family, and as such I wish to give each of you something, a token if you will for all you have given me.

            "I leave you now in the capable hands of Mr. Pritchett, who will see to the division of my estate."

            Pritchett shuffled some papers and began to read from a list of things Harry had specified to him. "Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom. I wish each of you to accept the sum of one thousand galleons; this money to be taken from my personal vault.

            "Ronald Weasley, my best mate I leave my Firebolt in your capable hands, also a sum of three thousand galleons to be taken from my personal vault.

            "Hermione Granger, who I loved as a sister I am leaving to you the library of books housed in Number 12 Grimmauld Place, and a sum of three thousand galleons to be taken from my personal vault.

            "In the event that Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley should wed, I leave them Grimmauld Place. 

            "Dobby and Winkey, I have a task for you two. I'd like you to watch over the Weasley family for me. Protect them as if you were protecting me. 

            "Arthur and Molly Weasley, what can I say other than you are the only parents I have ever known, it's hard to believe I've known you but seven short years, but in that time I have grown to see you as my parents. I'm leaving you the balance of my personal vault in Gringotts.

            "Fred and George Weasley, my friends you are giving joy and laughter to this world, a world the sorely needs people like you. I'd like my share of WWW to be transferred to Percy Weasley. Perhaps this can lighten him up a bit."

            "Oh no! No, No, and again NO! I'll not have that prat set one foot in our store!" George stood glaring at his brother. 

            Pritchett cleared his throat. "I know you'll not like it, but in times like this, really families need to stick together, besides, you can make him do the boring work."

            Fred laughed and looked at his twin; they nodded and stuck out their hands to Percy, "Partner." Percy shook their hands with a dubious look on his face.

            "Bill and Charley. I never got to know you two nearly as well as I wanted to, I'm leaving each of you a thousand galleons to be removed from the Black Estate."

            He paused and looked around the room. "You are all dismissed, save one person. Would Virginia Weasley please remain?"

            Ginny froze, and slow reseated herself as the others left shooting curious glances at her as they filed out into the waiting room.

            "There is something special here that Harry wanted you alone to hear." He placed the envelope in her hands. "Also the balance of the Potter and Black Estates are to be transferred to you along with all of his personal effects."

            Pritchett left the office and with trembling hands she broke the seal. Harry's voice once again filled the room. "Ginny, I felt it only fair to tell you this in private and you can do with this information as you see fit. I don't really know what love is, I asked Dumbledore once and he said it's feeling like everything will be ok if only you can see the person again. Holding their hand is enough to make you stupid with happiness, and you can't get the person's face out of your mind. 

            "I'm sure there's more to it, because that doesn't even scratch the surface of how I feel about you. I've hidden my emotions about you deep, so deep that they grew and I found that everything I do I wonder if you'll approve of me or not. I heard what happened with your secret admirer, and Ginny I am sorry, sorry for everything I have never done to make you happy. Sorry for every tear you shed because of me. Sorry because even know I know your beautiful brown eyes are shining with tears, and I know it's because of me. 

            "I'm pretty sure what I feel for you is love, because it's very powerful and honestly I can't see this ever ending. I'm not leaving you the money out of some sympathy, only to ensure that I take care of you, even if I'm not there. Inside my trunk you'll find some of my greatest treasures. However, the most valuable treasure of all I had to hide away, my love for you. I give that to you now, and hope that you will understand why I didn't tell you before.

            "With all my love and my heart. Harry Potter."

            It was several minutes before she composed herself enough to stand and with trembling hands entered the outer offices. She went home with her parents and fell into bed.

_Present Day three Hours Earlier_

            Ginny clutched the parchment to her as she drew the curtains to her bed in the tower. She had made Head Girl, and was occupying the Gryffindor suite. During the day she appeared somewhat morose, but fine, at night she would return to her dorm and cry herself to sleep, listening to Harry's last words to her. Tonight was to be more of the same, she opened the letter and let the now memorized speech wash over her.

            "Hardly my finest work." Her head jerked up from the pillow and wind raised looked around the room.

            "Harry?" Her mind was a whirl of conflicting thoughts.

            "Yes. It's me." Came the reply seemingly from nowhere.

            "Where are you? Let me see you." Her voice shook.

            Slowly, a shimmering appeared before her, and Harry came into view, not a ghostly figure but a solid one. She stood and with her wand trained on him, and eyes narrowed she stalked him like prey; suddenly she flicked her wrist and said "_Petrificus__ Totalus". He went rigid and fell to the ground. She searched him and produced his wand and a few personal effects, one of which was a picture of her._

            She looked at her watch and sat on the edge of her chair glaring at him for an hour. Satisfied that this was in fact Harry, she began to berate him "Why Harry? Why let everyone think you are dead? Who did we bury? Why are you here? Why won't you answer me?" She turned and blushed remembering the curse. "Oh, right." She flicked her wrist again, and heard Harry sigh with relief. 

            "Well, at least your floor is soft." He rubbed his backside, and motioned for her to sit. "I've not much time, so I'm only going to talk to you."

            "Ok, so are you going to answer me?"

            "Yes, of course I am. To start with why let everyone think I was dead? It's drawing Voldemort out. He's been in deep hiding since the whole Ministry thing in my fifth year, I'm so sick of hiding and playing this damned cat and mouse game with him. It's bloody well wearing on my very last nerve. So I concocted this plan, and being dead was step one."

            Ginny frowned. "But you gave away all your possessions, you have nothing."

            Harry grinned. "Ah, but I really haven't. I'd never live in Grimmauld Place, and I left you virtually everything. It's a risk, but I figured once I got this whole Voldemort thing settled I could find a way to explain to you, to make you understand why I had to do all this."

            "But you don't have…"

            "To do it all alone?" Harry finished for her. "Yes I do Ginny. I am the only one who can stop Voldemort. Anyone else would just get killed, and I can't have _that_ hanging over my head as well."

            "But why you?" she asked pouting slightly.

            Harry reached over and brushed a hand across her cheek. "Ask Dumbledore, tell him I told you about the Prophecy, and you want to hear it, give him this." He handed her a note. "You'll understand better then."

            "Ok then who did we bury?"

            "Well, you know, I'd not really sure what you buried. I transfigured a frog into me, took quite some time too I might add to figure it out, then I, well; I killed it, and left it to be found. As far as I can tell, it should have returned to frog form by now. I had to use a living thing, and the first thing I found was a frog."

            "So, why are you here?" she asked glaring at him. 

            He stood and paced a bit. "That's the most confusing thing of all. I'm actually staying here in Hogwarts for the most part, you can learn so much here. The networks of information run thick, and so many people tell Dumbledore quite a bit when they think they are alone, and the Houselves keep my secrets well. Now as to why I am _here_ here, well. To be honest Ginny, I don't know why I come here. Other than to see you, what I wrote to you in that letter is true I do care so deeply for you, but I couldn't let anyone know least Voldemort find out. Now I have a dilemma."

            "What's that?" she asked already knowing the answer.

            He looked at her and in a sudden movement bent down and kissed her. After the initial shock she eagerly returned the kiss. After a minute they broke apart. "Well," he said chuckling softly. "That dilemma is solved." He kissed her again, lightly brushing his lips against hers.

            They stayed embraced kissing a few more times, and then he rested his forehead on hers, and began talking again. "Ok, now here is a little something from Sirius." He handed her a small mirror. 

            "Sirius is alive too?" Her eyes were wide in surprise. 

            A sadness washed over him. "No, but I found a working diary in Grimmauld Place, it explained the steps in the creation of a lot of things. Inside the package is a mirror, to talk to me, hold it up like you are looking into it, and say my name. If I am near you, I'll answer."

            "How near?" she asked.

            "Well, Sirius figured it'd reach to London from here, so I honestly don't know." He held out a small hand mirror and said "Ginny Weasley". Her package vibrated softly as she unwrapped it and looked into it seeing at first her face, and then Harry's. She smiled at him.

            "Wow, this is incredible." She heard her voice echo out of Harry's mirror. "The twins would make a fortune off these."

            "Quite right they will, _after_ I am done with what I need to do." He grabbed her hand. "Ginny, I _need you to keep up the same front as before, I __need you to keep my secret. I trust you with my life here, and I just want you to know how much I love you, and want you to be happy. But for now, you have to grieve for me."_

            She smiled. "I'll try Harry, when can I see you again?" 

            He held up the mirror, "Any time love. Any time." He looked around "But for now I have to go, I have to make a trip, when I'm back, I'll come see you again."

            She smiled and held him tight, kissing him deeply. 

            "Good night Ginny." He began to vanish again.

            "Good night Harry." He smiled and vanished. It was here that we found Ginny Weasley, Head Girl, falling asleep for the first time in six months with a smile on her face.


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

            Morning arrived far too rapidly for Ginny; she wrapped herself in a dressing gown and noticed she was humming airily as she gathered her things to head to her private bath. She ran a tub, deciding to relax in the water and bubbles rather than simply shower. She slipped into the hot water and aromatic bubbles and felt herself relax tension drifting away as she enjoyed the luxury of the private bath. 

            She stayed in the tub until the water began to cool, and dried herself on the soft, fluffy towels, wrapped her hair in one and herself in another and entered her room, and began selecting items to wear that day. It was Saturday, and a Hogsmead weekend to boot. She was going to treat herself to some chocolate from Honeydukes and a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. She finished dressing and brushing her hair, and was about to apply a light dusting of makeup when Harry's words from the night before struck home. 

            She frowned at her reflection in the mirror no that was _definitely not a woman in mourning in the mirror. She set aside her normal make up and examined the contents of the kit Hermione had given her last year. There were darker colors for more formal evening she selected, and began to create a tired look, shadowing under her eyes, and making herself look more gaunt. She appraised herself, and undid the intricate braid, and replaced it with a loose ponytail. She appraised herself and changed out her cloak for one of Harry's taken from his trunk. _Perfect_ he admired her handiwork. _

            "Ms. Wheezy?" The shrill voice of Dobby called out to her.

            "Yes Dobby, what is it?" The staff at Hogwarts had been reticent to allow her to bring the elf, but they also agreed that not much would keep Dobby away, so a bargain had been struck, Dobby would watch over Ginny, and still perform his normal duties as a staff elf for the remainder of the year, Winkey had gone to The Burrow where she watched over the rest of the Weasleys in accordance with Harry's wishes. 

            Dobby approached her with a piece of parchment clutched in his hands. "I is delivering a message from your visitor." He handed her the note and vanished. 

            Ginny opened the letter.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_            There is too much to say and I had no time last night. I'm leaving this with Dobby, as I know he'll deliver it to you in secret._

_            You mean everything to me, and when this is all done, I promise you the happily ever after. Wait for me._

_HP_

            She re-read the letter and smiling folded it into the inner pocket of the cloak, and steeling her features left her room. In the common room Colin was waiting for her. "Care to join us Ginny?" He gestured to a small group of seventh years. 

Ginny thought this through and shook her head. "Sorry Colin, I need to do some work in the library first." 

"Sure Ginny. Say, are you feeling well?" He looked at her with concern. Ginny's heart skipped a beat; _did she overdo it on the makeup? "I mean you haven't changed much since we got here, and well, to be honest Ginny, I'm worried about you." _

She smiled at Colin and said simply. "I'm fine Colin, I've just a lot to work out, you understand don't you?"

Colin nodded. "Well you don't need to do it all alone you know." He placed a hand on hers, and leaned in to hug her. Ginny shrunk back, if he got too close even Colin would realize it was only muggle makeup. "So – sorry, I'm just not doing well with this. Say, how about you ditch the library and I take you to Hogsmead, as my date?"

Her eyes narrowed. Colin was hitting on her! _How dare he! _Then a small voice echoed up from her mind. _He knows you only have eyes for Harry.** But then again, everyone thinks Harry is dead. _Still! It's only been six months. _**Six months is a long time to some people, Cho got over Cedric in less time.****__ Not true, Harry said Cho was always crying about Cedric even on Valentines Day. "I – I'm sorry Colin, I need to go…" she turned and practically fled from the common room._

She entered the library and found a quiet spot in the back, pulled out her mirror and said softly "Harry Potter". She looked at her face in the mirror, and suddenly Harry's face swam into view. 

"Ginny? Are you alright? You look a fright." 

"I am just fine you! I had to speak to you, I'm so sorry." She worried her lower lip.

"No, it's fine, I'm lying a bit low right now, but I may have to go quickly, so I'm sorry if I suddenly disappear. Now what's on your mind?"

"Oh this is so stupid, but I did what you asked, and now Colin is hitting on me, and I've really no idea why I'm burdening you with this." She looked exasperated.

"Colin would be a fool to wait; I know I should never have myself. However, have you talked to Dumbledore yet?"

"No. I'd actually forgotten." She felt herself blush.

"It's ok, go and see him, the password is 'Fizzing Wizbees'. Explain anything _except the mirror and that I am not dead. Tell him I left you a letter, and show him the note, it'll all make sense then." Harry smiled warmly and then looked off to the side of the mirror. "Damn it! Sorry love, I have to go." His face faded from the mirror._

Ginny searched her cloak and found the note he had handed her last night, and made her way to Dumbledore's office. On the ride up the stairs she began to worry about what would cause Harry to need to leave so rapidly. Her hand barely fell on the door when she heard his voice. "Come in Ms. Weasley." She entered the room and saw Dumbledore looking into his pensive. "You have something for me I assume?" She nodded dumbly and handed him the note.

"Honestly, I expected you sooner." The old man steepled his hands, as he read the short note. "Yes, of course. He wanted you to see the prophecy. But let us do him one better." Dumbledore stuck his wand in the pensive and found the memory he was searching for. He grabbed Ginny's hand and they entered the world of Dumbledore's memory.


	4. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3_**

            Ginny felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as they entered into the very same room they had just left, except now a very young looking Harry Potter stood glaring at the paintings as Dumbledore entered the room via the fireplace amidst many of the paintings welcoming him back.

            "Thank you," said Dumbledore softly. He did not look at Harry at first, but walked over to the perch beside the door and withdrew, from an inside pocket of his robes, the tiny, ugly, featherless Fawkes, whom he placed gently on the tray of soft ashes beneath the golden post where the full-grown Fawkes usually stood.

"Well, Harry," said Dumbledore, finally turning away from the baby bird, "you will be pleased to hear that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events."

Harry tried to speak, but seemed to be having a heard time saying whatever was on his mind, and kept looking away from Dumbledore's face.

Ginny watched alongside Dumbledore as the two ghost figures intracted.

"I know how you're feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore very quietly.

"No, you don't," said Harry, and his voice was suddenly loud and strong; laced with hatred and anger.

"There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore. "On the contrary… the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength."

Harry continued to stare out of the window, his back to Dumbledore. Ginny saw his shoulders shaking slightly with the rage building in him. "My greatest strength, is it? You haven't got a clue… you don't know…"

"What don't I know?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

Harry turned around, shaking with rage. "I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?"

"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human…"

"THEN - I - DON'T - WANT - TO - BE - HUMAN!" Harry roared, and he seized the delicate silver instrument from the spindlelegged table beside him and flung it across the room; it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall. Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, one said "Really!" Ginny's mouth dropped open, that Harry would be so openly hostile to Dumbledore… she thought she had seen the worst side of him in Grimmauld Place, and the summer following Sirius's death, but this – this was far worse than she'd ever seen, and he was getting even more violent by the minute. "I DON'T CARE!" Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANY MORE" He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that, too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions.

"You do care," said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. "You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."

Harry's tirade went on and on, Dumbledore's hand rested on her shoulder as tears flowed from her eyes. She watched as he appeared to tense as if to spring and lash out at Dumbledore, then more items were throw, and he turned on his heel and ran to the door, seized the doorknob again and wrenched at it.

But the door would not open. Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "Let me out," he said. He was shaking from head to foot.

"No," said Dumbledore simply. For a few seconds they stared at each other.

"Let me out," Harry said again.

"No," Dumbledore repeated.

The impasse was to stand, Dumbledore refused to let Harry out of the office, and the fury was growing stronger in him, his voice became calmer, adopting an almost silky quality that frightened Ginny terribly. 

"You will," said Dumbledore steadily. "Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it."

Harry seemed to lose some of his hardline anger and he glared at Dumbledore and listened as the old man recounted the sins he had heaped up on Harry, withholding information Harry needed to make the right choices, for keeping Sirius penned up inside Grimmauld Place, 

"It is time," he said, "for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything. I ask only a little patience. You will have your chance to rage at me - to do whatever you like - when I have finished. I will not stop you."

Harry glared at him for a moment, then flung himself back into the chair opposite Dumbledore and waited.

Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges, the very same bowl that Ginny had seen on entering Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore walked back to the desk, placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his wand to his own temple. From it, he withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk and watched his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip.

A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly; her feet in the basin. But when Sybill Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Ginny had never heard her use before: "The one with the power to vanquish the- Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives … the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …"

The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished. The silence within the office was absolute. Neither Dumbledore nor Harry nor any of the portraits made a sound. Even Fawkes had fallen silent. 

Dumbledore turned to Ginny and said, "It's time we left now."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said very quietly. Ginny and Dumbledore left just as Harry was about to ask another question, moments later she found herself sitting opposite Dumbledore's desk looking about for Harry.

"Now, I have shown you what Harry asked to be shown. Is there anything you would like to tell me?" His blue eyes pierced into hers as if trying to fathom her soul.

"N – no, not really." She murmured. "If it's ok, I think I'd like to go now." She stood and walked to the door, her hand rested on the latch, the door wouldn't open.

"Where is he?" Dumbledore asked.

"He – you were there." She turned to him. "We buried him."

"There is little that goes on in this castle I don't know about Ms. Weasley. Very, very little." In his hands was a ragged piece of parchment. "I know you saw Harry Potter last night."

"I – it could have been Polyjuice…" 

"No, this wonderful map sees through that, and invisibility cloaks as well as the invisibility charm. I know as a fact Harry Potter has been in this castle for the bulk of the last six months. But he's gone now, and you were the last one he saw, and I dare say, you know where he is."

She looked him square in the face, and said simply "No, I don't."

Dumbledore watched her for a few minutes and finally waved his wand the door opened. "I would speak to you both, at your earliest convenience." 

Ginny shaken exited the office and made her way back to her suite in Gryffindor Tower. She was shaken utterly. Dobby appeared at her side as she entered the room. "Is you be needing food Ms. Wheasey?"

"No Dobby, I think I just need a few minutes to…" she stopped herself and turned back to Dobby. "Yes actually Dobby, I could use a light lunch, I'd rather not face people right now." 

The elf bowed low and said "It being Dobby's pleasure Miss." He vanished, and returned just minutes later with fresh fruit, and juice. He turned to leave. 

"Dobby wait." 

The elf turned back to Ginny. "Yes Ms Wheasey? Is the food not your liking?" He had an almost fearful look in his eye.

"Oh! No Dobby, the food is perfect. I have a favor to ask." She held a small note. "Get this to Harry, I don't care how but make sure he gets it before he returns." Dobby nodded. "Oh, and Dobby?"

"Yes?"

"No one but Harry must get that note."

"I is understanding Ms." Dobby bowed again, and was surprised to see her kneeling to look him in the eye. 

"No one Dobby, not even Dumbledore." 

Dobby looked fearful again. "But if Dumbledore asks Dobby must…"

"No, Dobby. You are not Dumbledore's elf anymore. He released you. You are pledged to Harry now. He is your master, not Dumbledore. You are only helping out around here so you can watch over me."

Dobby's face held confusion, and finally he nodded. "You is right Ms. I am Harry Potter's elf." He vanished with a pop.

Ginny ate the food Dobby left for her, and laid down on the bed staring at the ceiling. She dozed off, and was awoken by a buzzing sound, she then felt the mirror vibrating. She lifted it up to her face and Harry swam into view. 

"Are you alone?" He whispered.

She looked around and with a frustrated look "I think so, did Dobby find you?"

Harry smiled, "Yeah scared me silly when he showed up though. So Dumbledore is using the map huh? Well bully for him. I know something he doesn't know, and frankly he can stuff himself." Harry looked a bit put off, and suddenly a shocked look crossed his face. "Oh! Oh, Ginny! I'm not upset with you!" 

She smiled weakly at him, and he began to explain "It's just that after the whole Ministry…" 

"I saw it all Harry. There's no need to explain."

She saw regret in his face. "I should have been more specific. How much did he show you?"

She thought back and replayed the scene. "I watched Dumbledore enter through the floo, and then you broke some things, and then the prophecy, and then we left."

Harry looked at her intently. "How long after the prophecy did you stay?"

"Right after, you were just asking Dumbledore a question, and then we left."

Harry seemed deep in concentration for a few minutes. "Ok, ok, good." He muttered barely loud enough for her to hear. Suddenly his eyes focused on her again and the warmth returned. "It'll be ok love. I'll be back soon and we'll go see Albus together."

She smiled a true smile he looked around and frowned. "Never a dull moment here. I have to go, I hope to see you very soon." He faded from view again.

**NOTE: Yes, I did use quotes from the Prophecy section of Order of the Phoenix. Some parts were left out, some were left in, some were modified, but the main text was used to hold the storyline here complete without needing to reference the book. Credit for those lines are all J.K.'s and certainly not mine. Please don't confuse her writing and mine; if you find it in the book, it's hers. If you find bits of it in the book, it's a hybrid, and if you don't find it in the book, it's mine, or you aren't looking hard enough.**


	5. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 4_**

            Ginny sat at her desk working on her homework she suddenly felt the chill across her back of someone watching her. Slowly she slid her hand under her robes and grasped the handle of her wand firmly in her hand, and she focused on listening, and feeling. Slowly, she felt the presence, and got a general idea of it's location, and with what felt like agonizing slowness withdrew her wand, and slipped it up her sleeve, and faked a yawn, then stood stretching, out of the corner of her eye she caught the mirror over her dresser, and saw a figure in a dark cloak almost directly behind her. Setting her facial features, she placed both hands on the small of her back and gave one more stretch with her eyes seemingly closed, she quickly assessed the rest of her room finding it deserted. 

            She flicked out her wand and turned on her would-be attacker and stunned him. She slid off the man's hood to see Harry Potter unconscious on her floor. Quickly she revived him blushing and apologizing. 

            Harry laughed, "No, I shouldn't have snuck up on you. Though we are meeting like this far too often."

            Ginny glared at him and blushed harder. "Stop it, this is _not_ funny Harry."

            "Oh, I beg to differ love. It _is_ _very_ funny." He chuckled a bit more as she stomped off to her desk and proceeded to ignore him. Harry had other plans, and walked up behind her making as much noise as possible; gaining a look that should have left nothing but a smoldering cloak behind. He just smiled and pulled her hair away from the side of her neck and kissed the exposed skin.

            Ginny moaned and dropped her quill. She turned to face him, and smiling kissed him soundly on the lips. "I've missed you so."

            He held her for a few more minutes and then softly said. "I'm sorry Ginny, but we do need to see Dumbledore first."

            She looked at him, and realized it was as hard for him as it was for her. He smiled and drank a potion, his hair smoothed out and he grew several inches. With a slight shock, she realized he drank a Polyjuice potion, and had selected Ron as the person he was going to imitate. She remarked at how unfair this was with a look of hurt.

            "We can still hold hands though, and you can still give me a hug." Harry said.

            "Perhaps, but it really isn't the same you know." She hugged him, and stepped away.

            "Well, it feels the same from here." 

            Ginny pulled a face, "Well it sure doesn't from here."

            They made their way out into the halls and eventually to Dumbledore's office. By the time they made it there, Ginny noticed she could see the faint outline of a scar on the forehead of her companion that Ron never had. She looked at him questioningly. "I thought Polyjuice was good for an hour?"

            He nodded, "It is, however prolonged use tends to build a resistance. I need to keep the doses up quite a bit more often now; closer to a half hour or so. According to the text in the library, in a few more months it won't be useful at all anymore." He looked a bit pensive at this, and the two gave the password, and ascended the stairs.

            "Enter." They heard the voice of Albus Dumbledore from the other side of the door.

            The pair entered just as the last of the red faded from Harry's hair, and he looked himself again. "You asked to seem me?" Harry stated as he took a seat.

            Ginny followed suit, and faced the Headmaster. 

            "Yes Harry, I did. Though I am honestly shocked to see you again, all things being at face value."

            "I am sure you are. Now why am I here? This is jeopardizing my mission Albus." Ginny caught a hint of the anger in his voice, the same silky quality as he had shown just after their return from the Ministry.

            "Well Harry, it seems you are not quite as dead as you would have liked us all to believe. In fact, had you not visited Ms. Weasley, I would have ignored the rather odd sightings on the map for quite some time still."

            "Yes, well –" Harry paused to collect his thoughts. "My meetings with Ms. Weasley are none of your concern Albus."

            "I'm sorry Harry; I must insist I know why you are meeting with her."

            Harry's anger was rising again, his eyes flashed the anger, and he ground out his words between clenched teeth. "My business with Ms. Weasley are her business and mine. _Not_ yours."

            "Do not presume what is and is not my business. She is Head Girl, and anything occupying her thoughts that might interfere with her duties and N.E.W.T.s, Harry, _are_ my business."

            Harry stood and flexed his hands. "I am not above taking you up on your offer Albus. Don't do this. I asked for so very little from anyone, and you are bloody well going to grant me this one thing. You will keep your damned mouth shut about me, and leave Ginny the hell alone."

            Albus sat in his chair sizing up the young man before him. Filled with fire and power, and ready to risk it all for a woman. _Yes, Harry, you will do fine._ He thought and then lowered his head slightly to look at the parchment in front of him. "Alright Harry. I won't utter another word on the subject to anyone until you opt to change your mind and are back with the living."

            He picked up the parchment and slid it under a stack on his desk carefully. He looked up to see Harry holding out his hand. "Shake on it Albus."

            The elderly wizard stood and grasped his hand to Harry's and said "Agreed." The pact was sealed. 

            Harry relaxed a trifle and sat back down. "Is there anything else?" He knew there was as soon as he said it.

            "Well, I was assuming Harry what you were doing, and I believe I can assist you in completing the mission you have set for yourself."

            "This isn't my mission, it's the one the world wants me to do, and when I am done, I want to be left alone."

            "Noble sentiments Harry, but I thoroughly doubt you'll accomplish that." The older wizard looked oddly wistful for a moment, and then returned to the present. "Now about this mission…" He dug out an envelope and handed it to Harry. "In that is all the information the Order has on Voldemort. I dearly hope it comes to some value for you."

            Harry stood, and Ginny followed him to the door. Warily Harry grasped it and opened the door walking out. As they descended, Harry took another sip of Polyjuice and to everyone they met, Ron Weasley was walking his sister to the Gryffindor Tower. Once inside they entered the Head Girl suite, and Harry allowed the Polyjuice to wear off. They talked until dinner time and Dobby brought them both food.

            That night Ginny Weasley fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved. She awoke the next morning to find Harry in her bath soaking in the water. His head back, eyes closed and a smile on his face.

            "What's that smile for?" she asked allowing her dressing gown to pool at her feet.

            Harry lazily opened his eyes, "I am reliving last night." 

            "Oh come now Harry, it was nice, but far too rushed for my tastes." She slid in beside him and offered her back to him. "Soap me please." She moaned softly as his hands glided slick with soap over her back.

            Harry finished washing her, and held her close as they kissed in the tub, enjoying the still warm water. All too soon they were getting out and drying each other off, just as they were heading for the bed, Ginny heard her door begin to open. Harry's eyes went wide, and she reached into her cupboard and produced the invisibility cloak for him, he slipped it on, and vanished from sight. 

            Ginny, unlocked and opened her door. Much to her disappointment Colin was there, and here she was in nothing save two towels. She felt trapped suddenly. He looked at her, and she saw hunger flash in his eyes. "Can I come in?"

            "NO!" She recovered herself quickly, "I – I've just come from the bath." 

            Colin pushed the door open and walked in. "I don't mind. I wanted to talk to you about my offer to help you."

            From the bath came a voice. "Ginny, are you alright?"

            Ginny had to suppress a laugh. "Yes Hermione, I – I think I am, unless you want to talk to Colin." 

            Colin blanched and made to leave the room rapidly. It was no secret he still held Hermione in fear from some act or another from last year. Harry walked out of Ginny's bathroom, glowering at Colin in an almost exact replication of Hermione's 'I-Know-You-Are-Up-To-No-Good' look. But then again Harry _would know that look, having been on the receiving end almost as much as Ron. Colin backpedaled and exited the room._

            Ginny grinned at Harry, and gave him a big hug. Harry gave a startled look and said "I – m that is, I'd rather…" Hs face was getting brilliant red. 

            Ginny frowned, and then suddenly began to understand. "So you've never transfigured into any other sex before?"

            "NO!" Harry said looking repulsed. "That would be just – just weird."

            "But you made the Polyjuice…"

            Harry looked guilty for a minute. "It was dark; they must share the brush…" 

            "Harry Potter! You stole hair from my brother and his girlfriend…"

            "Wife."

            Ginny's eyes popped. "_What?!?!_"  
  


            Harry cringed. "I said wife, Hermione and Ron got married last month."

            "How in the bloody hell do you know this while I don't?" Ginny was beginning to show a remarkable resemblance to Molly.

            Harry's voice got very small. "They told me."

            Ginny's mouth opened and closed several times, with no noise exiting her at all. She sat for a moment, and then her eyes narrowed. "You lied to me."

            Harry suddenly regained his composure. "I bloody well haven't. I have not uttered one damn lie to you, ever!"

            Ginny glared at him, her look turning from anger to baleful. "Yes you did, you swore no living sole but me and Dobby knew…"

            Harry held up his hands. "You can't count Dumbledore!"

            "I'm not." Her voice was icy cold and just as hard.

            "No one else knows." Harry said simply holding his hands out.

            "You just said…" She started pointing her finger at him.

            Harry interrupted by laughing. "Oh that! Ha! Yes, they tell me everything now. Every Sunday at five spot on they arrive at my gravestone. I was visiting Sirius looking like the caretaker when they showed up and bemoaned their existence to my gravestone. Ever since, I have made sure to be there to hear the latest news. If it helps they haven't even told mum and dad, er, your mum and dad that is…" He blushed at his trip up.

            Ginny suddenly had her arms around his shoulders. "It's ok Harry. Really, mum would be beside herself with joy if she knew you called her that, and well dad goodness knows he thinks you are his son the way he acts about you." She looked sad for a moment.

            "What?"

            "It – it's nothing Harry. Really." 

            "No, it's not nothing, it's something, I saw it."

            Ginny looked around the room as if trying to get support, she took in a deep breath and said "Mum and dad got you a hand for the clock. It was your Christmas present this year. Dad was going to put it on Christmas Eve."

            "Bloody hell!" Harry backed away and looked around the room. "Damn it all." He spotted his trunk and he walked to it, pulling out some parchment and a quill, he jotted a note, and folded the parchment into an envelope and sealed it. "Ginny, make sure your parents get this. Send Dobby, he's trustworthy. Your parents must _not_ put that hand on the clock!"

            Ginny's eyes got wide. "Oh god or they'd know. Everyone would know!"

            Harry had begun the transformation back to himself. His hair was now bushy, messy, and black, and Hermione's figure was lengthening and turning into the man she knew. Harry was busying himself with putting clean clothes into a rucksack.

            Dobby arrived to Ginny's summons and agreed to bring Harry several days worth of food that he could take with him, and the letter to Arthur Weasley. They had talked a bit, and decided he would be the most likely candidate to keep Harry's secret. 

            Harry lifted the rucksack and sighed wearily; he turned to Ginny and held her close. "I don't want to go."

            "I won't beg you to stay Harry, but I'm not kicking you out either." She searched his eyes, and found what she was looking for; regret at having to leave was plain on his face. 

            "Thank you." He reached in his pocket and held up the mirror. "I'm only a call away." He grinned sadly, kissed her swiftly, and taking three steps back vanished as she heard the fourth footfall land. She stood frozen on the spot, and felt the lightest of touches brush over her cheek; then her door eased open and closed, and she knew he was gone.


	6. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

            Harry fled the grounds heading to the one spot he could hide that no one would ever look in. It took him several minutes of searching to find a branch, and poke the whomping willow, the tree seized up and he slipped beneath it into the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack. Harry had to get his priorities in line. If anyone hung the hand all of the Weasleys would know, including the one he had been following the past few months.

            Harry entered the shack to find things as he had left them, the room he was staying in was clean, and the furniture had been repaired to make it useable. He lay back on the bed and began to think about his next move. 

            In London a young couple was preparing to Disapparate to meet with their friend. Ron looked up the stairs and saw Hermione struggling with her scarf. The November afternoon had been quite cold, and they had a lot to tell Harry. Ron considered that a moment, he had been against it, saying that it wasn't the same, but over time he could actually feel Harry's presence now, and it did feel good to tell your secrets to someone, even if they weren't really there.

            Hermione finally got the scarf on and the couple held hands and vanished, appearing at the entrance to the fairly heavily guarded wizard cemetery. After the recounting Harry had given of Death Eaters using corpses to gain information that the witch or wizard had known in life, the Ministry had ordered guards placed on all cemeteries of magical folk. It had turned out to be a wise move. This one in particular had had several attacks on it in an attempt to get to the grave of the Boy Who Lived.

            Ron and Hermione were met by Charles Kosterman, he had been sorted Hufflepuff, and had graduated just three years ago. Hermione spoke. "Chilly afternoon Charles."

            "Aye, that it is Mrs. Weasley." He opened the gate, and let them in. "See you later Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." He turned back to his paper, and the gate sealed behind them.

            Harry watched his friends come up to his gravestone. Ron removed the old flowers he and Hermione had left last time, and replaced them with the small wreath. "It'll be Christmas soon mate." The young man brushed his eyes with a gloved hand. "First one without you in seven years. It was supposed to be our first one together after Hogwarts. Ginny's coming home for the holidays, and honestly I had hoped you'd be there to tease me and Hermione about still not telling my parents we eloped." His voice seemed to run out.

            Hermione continued no less emotional than her husband. "It didn't seem the same Harry, you should have been there. That's why we did it you know, because mum and dad Weasley would have wanted a whole big ceremony, and we couldn't not have you as best man." Harry felt horrible, it was worse than the last time, they were trying to assuage their pained souls and he was causing them more pain.

            "I finally got an owl from Ginny; she seems to be getting better. I know how much she cared for you, and we know how much you cared for her, but… Harry, I don't think she'll ever move on." Harry looked at his hands grasping the edges of the cloak, if he moved them just so, they'd see him. 

            Suddenly an owl flew down and perched on the stone, holding its leg out. Harry groaned, it was looking at him, and only one owl in the world had been able to find him when he didn't want to be found.

            Ron grinned. "Hedwig. How are you old girl." The owl looked at him and shifted it's eyes to Harry, clicking her beak at him and she hopped closer, and held out her leg fir him to take the parchment.

            Hermione frowned and pulled out her wand. _Bloody hell._ Harry thought as the beam struck him, knocking him to the ground. He awoke looking at two very confused faces. 

            Ron was speechless, his mouth working, but no sound came out. Hermione had her mouth covered by her hand, and rapidly recovered him in the cloak. Harry stood groggily, and looked around a small family was passing by his grave. The young woman dropped a single yellow rose on his site and said a short prayer, the family moved on. 

            Hermione said "Quickly now, follow us." She shoved a small bit of parchment in to his hand beneath the robe. "Apparate to this location in London or else." They walked out, with Hermione dragging Ron behind her. Harry looked at the parchment and closed his eyes willing himself to see the place, he cast the spell and felt the world twist around him, he opened them to find himself in the balcony of a flat overlooking muggle London. The door opened from the inside, and Harry stepped in. 

            He sighed and resigning himself to the fate he had allowed to happen, dropped the invisibility cloak. The cloak had no more hit the ground then Ron hit him, both of his arms were wrapped around his friend, and he was crushing Harry in the most powerful hug he could imagine. "Ron…need…air…" Harry gasped. 

            Sheepishly Ron let go, and Hermione took his place, holding him every bit as hard. When she finally let go Ron poked him in the chest. "Now sit your underfed arse down and start talking Potter. You've a bloody great amount of explaining to do." Now that they were both over the initial shock they were glaring at him.

            Harry took a seat in their comfortable living room, and began to retell the tale of how he had come to not be dead. He conveniently left out the fact he had been sleeping with Ginny. Hermione understood, and quite rapidly so did Ron. 

            "So what now?" Ron asked.

            "I don't know guys. I've been so lost, and now I found that your mum and dad had a hand made for me, and are putting it on the clock, you know what will happen if that happens."

            Ron nodded slowly. "Of course it'll show you are still alive."

            "And Ron, there's more." Harry looked down at his hands and twisted them in his lap. "Percy can never know."

            Ron's eyes narrowed. "Why not Harry?"

            "Ron, I – I swear I checked on it as a fact several times. He – he's a death eater Ron. He joined of his own volition a month ago." Harry sat feeling defeated already. 

            "Yeah, Fred and George reckoned that already, and me and dad have been checking in on him." Ron opened up a courier's satchel on the table and produced documents, and handed them over to Harry. Harry rapidly read through them and saw that they had guessed more or less as he'd seen with his eyes. 

            "That looks about right." He handed the documents back over. "So now you know why that hand can not be reconnected to that clock until later."

            Ron nodded, and packing up the documents said. "We are going to be late to dinner and mum'll have our hides. Harry, you know you are more than welcome, and I know why you are going to refuse." He laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You don't need…"

            Harry cut him off. "Yes Ron, I do."

            "Why Harry? Why can't we stand with you?" 

Harry glared in the direction of Hogwarts, and then as if coming to a decision looked around for a bit of parchment, and wrote a note. "Go see Dumbledore, give him the note. Make him explain everything to you."

            "Will you be here when we get back?" Hermione asked.

            "No, I was on my way to visit an old friend and just stopped by the graveyard to speak to my parents first." Harry hated lying.

            "Well, it's a good thing you were there. To think all this time I was pouring out my soul to a frog." Ron smiled sadly. "Well at least that's one ritual we can stop doing."

            "No!" Harry and Hermione said almost at once.

            "Well it's not like…" Ron started.

            "But don't you see Ron? It has to be this way until Harry is ready to become visible to the world again." Hermione explained to him. "We have to keep going back there and telling all the same trivial stuff to his grave like before. We could use it to pass on information as we find it too." Her eyes shone brightly with scheming. "It'll be perfect."

            "It'll be bloody cold." Ron said but Harry could see the workings behind Ron's eyes. He looked at the clock. "Bloody hell Hermione! It's past five! Oh are we in for it now!" Harry threw on the invisibility cloak and walked to the balcony Disapparating away. Ron and Hermione were just behind him.

            Harry landed in a field about seven miles from the building he'd been staking out. He waited patiently, careful to conceal even his breath in the dimming light of the day Almost as if he had willed it; a figure appeared walking his way in the crisp dusk. Harry pulled out his wand and remained crouching on the ground. 

            The figure stopped and lit a cigarette, took a deep drag and slowly exhaled. Harry pointed his wand at the figure and stunned the young man. Quickly Harry bound him with ropes, and quietly drug him away from the building to a small dilapidated shack about three miles from the original spot he had abducted the death eater. 

            Once in the shack, Harry cast a series of charms and wards including a heating charm. Then he revived the young man. "Welcome back to the land of the conscious, Mr. Malfoy."

            Draco Malfoy's face paled even more than before. "YOU! N – no, there's no way. You are _dead_ I saw it!"

            "You, more than anyone else should know Draco, appearances can be deceiving. Now, I'm going to need to borrow something from you." He reached up and cut some of Draco Malfoy's hair. "That should do nicely." He reached into the rucksack and produced four sealed vials. Quickly and carefully, he placed one hair in each vial and shook them. 

            "What do you think you are doing Potter?" Malfoy snarled.

            "Funny, Snape always said you we so good in potions. I figured you'd know what I was doing, and therefore wouldn't need to give you a lesson in fourth year potions." Harry looked at him, mock sincerity in his tone, and a look of false pity on his face. "You see Draco, _this_" Harry said swirling a vial of the potion, "is Polyjuice. I take a hair from your nasty, greasy head and place it in the potion. Then, and believe me this _is_ the hard part, I need to drink it to look like you."

            "What then Potter? You know I'll spill my guts the minute I am able." 

            "I only have a need for you until I am done in the manor you arrogant ass, what makes you think you are going to live long enough to tell anyone anything?" Harry lifted the vial in salute "Cheers." He downed the potion and made an exaggerated show as to how vile it was. "Ugh, worse even than Goyle." He then opened the door to the shack and left.

            Malfoy lay there looking at the ceiling. It wasn't that there was much interesting on the ceiling, more like it was a case that he had no where else to look. The passage of time for him became odd; it seemed like days before the door opened up again.


	7. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6_**

            Harry looked around almost furtively as he made his way into the manor house. It took him four wrong turns and several times consulting the map he had of Malfoy Manor, but soon enough he had located Lucious Malfoy's private library. He rapidly selected the books he needed, and placed them in his rucksack. Sealing it from the elements, he shouldered it, and left the manor, drinking the last of the Malfoy Polyjuice as his foot touched the bottom stair. 

            Everything was going smoothly; he had the books and was less than ten paces from freedom. A silky smooth voice behind him stopped him cold. "Going somewhere Draco?"     

            Harry turned to see Lucious. "I – I'm just going out for some air." 

            "Going out for another of those disgusting muggle cigarettes then?" The older Malfoy's face twisted at the word.

            Harry contemplated this for a minute. "That's right _father_ I am." His hand grasped the cold brass doorknob and twisted it. 

            "Fine. At least do something worthwhile while you are moping about out there. Check the old shack, it looks like some transient may be using it as a hovel again, and we can't have that, now can we?" Lucious left and Harry breathed out in relief, and left Malfoy Manor.

            He had a lot to think about as he made his way back to the shack. He pulled open the door as streaks of black began to appear in his blonde hair. "Draco, I had a small chat with your dad, let's discuss this shack, shall we?" Harry pointed his wand at Draco lying on the floor. "Why would your father care if anyone was here? And more importantly, why watch it so well?"

At first Malfoy said nothing assuming the noble and righteous Harry Potter was incapable of hurting another human. It was during the next couple hours that Draco learned Harry was more than capable, both mentally and emotionally to deal out pain. He talked then, explaining that the shack was a spot Death Eaters would use to gather. 

Harry looked around the shack again; it was little more than a single room, a fireplace, rug, and some old furniture. Honestly, if it had been left to its own devices surely it would have collapsed by now. It was on the second pass through Harry noticed the floor by the rug was discolored in several spots. He grabbed the rug and flipped it over, and there on the floor was a small brass ring set into a door just big enough for a man to enter.

"What will I find under there Draco?" Harry asked shoving Malfoy ahead of him.

Malfoy remained silent. "Fine, have it your way." Harry opened the trapdoor and pushed Malfoy down into the hole, Harry followed with his and Draco's wands safely in his cloak pocket. The rather large room below them was filled with crates of supplies and trinkets. "So this is where your father stores all the items the Death Eaters need eh?"

Harry jotted a few notes down, and then saw the door set into the wall. "What's behind the door Malfoy?" Draco again refused to talk. "Right then, on we go." Harry prodded Draco at wand point.

Draco opened the door, and behind it was living chambers for about a dozen. "Very nice hotel your father runs here Malfoy. So who are the guests then?" Draco remained closed mouthed. "This will go so much faster if you actually talk Draco my lad." Harry wrapped an arm companionably around Draco's shoulder.

Draco simply glared at Harry who shrugged. "Makes no difference really." Harry removed his rucksack and reached in pulling out a pin. He quickly cast a spell on it, and pinned it and the envelope containing all his notes to Draco's chest, placed Draco in a full body bind and activated the Portkey. Draco vanished, appearing at the headquarters of the Magical Law Enforcement, with Harry's notes pinned to him. 

Within the hour Aurors had seized Malfoy manor and arrested Lucious and Narcissa Malfoy for aiding and abetting fugitives from the Ministry. Harry watched all this from under his cloak. Confident that he had what he needed, Harry Disapparated, and appeared in the Shrieking Shack. After skimming through the first of the books, he found his mind wasn't on the spells contained in the books of powerful magic, rather on the red headed woman in the castle. 

Harry found himself walking almost in a daze, and realized just as his head popped out from under the roots of the willow that he was still visible. He tossed on his cloak, and silenced the tree, and continued to the castle, not stopping until he was outside her door, his hand once again on a cold doorknob, only this time it was anticipation, and not fear that had his hand trembling.

He eased open the door and saw her resting in her bed, her red hair fanned out around her, her eyes closed, and one hand behind her head the other tucked under the covers. He walked forward as if in a trance, her face calm, beautiful, and peaceful. She was like a siren, calling to him. Almost subconsciously, he flicked his wand behind him and the door to her room closed and locked. Next a silencing charm passed his lips as he licked them nervously, and put his wand away. 

Ginny's eyes fluttered open as soon as Harry sat on the bed, and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts. When she did, she began to smile at the young man sitting next to her. "Back so soon?"

"Couldn't stay in the shack knowing you were up here." He admitted. He reached a slightly trembling hand to stroke her cheek. "I shouldn't have come, but I can't stay away." He looked horrible.

Ginny smiled, "How about you crawl in here and get a good night's sleep?" She flipped the covers back, and Harry saw what she wore to bed.

"Hey, that's my shirt."

"Was yours. You left everything to me, and it was in your trunk. It's mine now." She patted the bed. "You getting in here or are you sleeping on the floor?"

Harry huffed, but stripped out of his clothes and leaving only boxers and a t shirt on slid into bed beside her. "It's still my shirt."

Ginny chuckled. "You have a lot to learn Mr. Potter." They both yawned, and fell asleep rather quickly. 


	8. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 6_**

Harry awoke the next morning to an empty bed, and groggily looked about trying to gain a proper perspective. The first thing he focused on was three figures sitting at the table, he reached for his glasses and sliding them on Ron, Hermione and Ginny came into focus. Harry's mouth began working trying to formulate an excellent reason why he was sleeping in Ginny's bed, and furthermore why he couldn't find his boxers.

Slowly, and with great care not to draw too much attention to himself, Harry searched under the covers for his boxers, after ten minutes of fruitless searching, he shoved his head into a pillow and sighed, reaching around he managed to wrap himself in a sheet and get out of bed.

"Good morning _Harry_." Ron said his voice flat and even. "_Lost_ something have you _mate_?"

            Harry blushed, and looked at where Ron's eyes were glaring at Harry's boxers hanging from one of the posts right next to Ginny's bra. "Well, isn't that odd Ginny… Look what happened when we…" Hermione raised an eyebrow. Harry plopped into the fourth chair and buried his face in his hands. "Would you believe this is the absolute last way I intended on letting you know?" He asked weakly.

            "If you weren't already dead Harry, I'd have to kill you now." Ron set his cup down with the utmost care. "However, seeing as there are _special circumstances_ I can see fit in ignoring this indiscretion."

            Ginny was almost in tears, at the last statement. "Oh, as if you and Hermione…"

            But oddly it was Harry who interrupted her speech. "Ron, you are my best friend, and Hermione is like my sister. I care for you both _very_ much, and you are like my family. However there is no _indiscretion_ Ron. You _will overlook this, as you have no business interfering with your sister no matter who she chooses to date or sleep with, that's __her choice not yours."_

            All three people listening to Harry's mouth opened in shock. "Now if you please, piss off, and let my fiancée and I get back to whatever the hell it is we decide to do." With that Harry stalked over opened the door and waved Ron and Hermione out.

            Shocked, the two left, and Harry closed and sealed the door with a spell. He turned to see Ginny trying to hold back laughter, and looked down to see that he had left the sheet on the chair. "Bloody hell…" Ginny broke up in laughter, and wound up pounding her fist on the table. "Ha. Ha. Ha." Harry said darkly and pulled on his shorts and pants. He reached into his trunk and pulled out a shirt, and slid it on, and sat next to Ginny. 

            She had just composed herself, drying the tears of mirth from her face. "Well, that _could have gone better." This had the effect of starting her all over again, Harry sighed and opened the door; Ron and Hermione were still standing there having a whispered argument. "You can come in now." Harry said ushering them in._

            Ginny had managed to compose herself; and still wearing only Harry's shirt gathered a few things and headed to the shower.

            "We just stopped in to talk to Ginny, to you know, let her know that there's still hope." Ron looked at the bed a moment. "You can somewhat imagine our surprise to see she already knew…" Ron looked at Harry pointedly. "How long has she 'been in the know' Harry?"

            "That is none of your bloody business Ron." Harry growled, and called for Dobby. 

            Dobby brought Harry and the rest breakfast, and tea and then vanished, returning a few minutes later with Harry's clothing. Throughout it all Hermione glared venom at Harry. Harry whispered to Dobby, and the elf took a seat in a small chair that he conjured.

            "Now, let's settle a few things. One: Ron, your business with your sister's _affairs ends right now, understand?" Ron glared at Harry, refusing to speak. Harry folded his arms over his chest, and with his voice calm, and inflecting no emotion. "Ron, your business with my fiancée's affairs ends as of right now. Do you understand?" _

            Ron struggled, and finally dropped his head, and muttered "Yes."

            "Good, Two: Hermione, get used to the house elves, they are a part of our society, and with a few exceptions, they _enjoy_ their lives, _you_ are making them miserable. Stop it." 

            Hermione opened her mouth to retort, and Harry held up his hand. "Dobby, please fetch some elves, I'm going to end this here and now." Dobby stood, and bowed vanishing and returning a moment later with a dozen elves. Harry walked over to his trunk and pulled out a misshapen hat, and placed it on the ground in front of the elves. All but Dobby instinctively recoiled from the item on the floor.

            "Dobby, how many of these do you have?" Harry asked gently.

            "Dobby has many, many of them." Dobby looked proudly at Harry "Dobby keeps them in his room."

            He looked at the other elves. "How many hats did you guys pick up over the last three years?" 

            The elves looked at one another muttering to themselves. Dobby spoke up. "That is easy Harry Potter, sir. Dobby has all; no elf cleans Gryffindor but Dobby now." Hermione's face fell.

            Harry looked at her pointedly. "So you see Hermione, by interfearing, you made Dobby into the Gryffindor Tower slave, _you made the situation far worse than it had ever been, because you were so certain you knew better than everyone else."_

            Hermione's eyes shone with tears. "I – I just wanted…"

            "You wanted to poke your nose where it didn't belong, the elves don't mind, they enjoy their lot in life. Leave them be."

            "Third: You can stop playing games Albus, and show yourself." Harry glared at a corner, and as Ginny walked out of her bathroom toweling her hair dry Dumbledore became visible. 

            He looked at Harry, "So how did you know?"

            "Two reasons Albus, first I was here, and I was sure you'd wander in eventually." He then looked Albus directly in the eye. "And having glasses can be highly beneficial, particularly since there are simple charms to correct vision, isn't that right?"

            Albus smiled. "You are correct Harry, how did you find out?"

            "I always wondered why the most powerful wizard in our age still wore glasses, when a simple charm any fifth year student could do was available. Then it occurred to me, Mad Eye can see invisible things, whatever charm was placed on his eye could naturally be placed on anything else, like a pair of glasses. Finding the charm was actually rather easy, and now Albus, we are on even ground."

            Harry looked at a piece of parchment he had in his hands. "Here, is the new Marauder's Map. I finished it last night." He unfolded it, and tapped it with his wand, and whispered a phrase to the parchment. Lines crossed and spread, soon a map of Hogwarts rested in his hands. "And this places us on the final ground evening Albus. I have everything at my disposal you do, save one thing."

            Albus poured himself some tea. "And that would be Harry?"

            "The castle."

            Albus paused a full heartbeat before drinking. He set the cup down, his mind racing. "I'm not sure I understand."

            Harry reached into his rucksack and pulled out a book, an old tome bound in silver and aged cracked leather. He flipped through the book a moment and handed the book to Albus. "I've copied down the pertinent information, so keeping the book has no real value to me."

            Harry could tell by Hermione's look at the book she'd never seen it before. Her look was like a person dying of thirst, looking at a glass of water on the other side of unbreakable glass. "This book details the construction of Hogwarts. What could you have…" his voice died out as his eyes widened. "No, I refuse."

            "It really is the only way Albus, I'll return control of the school to you once he's dead." Harry began to outline his plan of attack. 

            "It's brilliant." Ron said an hour later, the elves had long gone, and Dobby kept the supply of snacks and drink coming. 

Albus sat chewing on his mustachio. "I need time to think about this Harry. The risks are more than great, you are risking literally everything."

"And you think Voldemort will be kinder?"


End file.
